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CHEESE
IT
is
quite
impossible
here
to
give
more
than
the
merest
outline
of
the
steps
taken
in
preparing
the
various
sorts
of
cheese
manufactured
in
this
country.
The
processes
will,
moreover,
be
more
fully
described
in
a future
volume
of
this
series.
Meanwhile,
the
reader
may
be
advised
to
study
the
three
pamphlets
issued
by
the
Royal
Agricultural
Society
dealing
with
the
practices
of
making
Cheddar,
Cheshire,
and
Stilton
cheeses
respectively.
A
brief
summary
may,
however,
be
useful
to
those
who
can
supplement
this
by
a
few
actual
observations
of
practical
cheese-making
by
skilful
operators.
In
some
ways,
and
by
many
connoisseurs,
Stilton
is
considered
the
finest
of
English
cheeses.
The
first
step
in
its
manufacture
is
the
addition
of
Hansen's
(or
other)
rennet,
at
the
rate
of
one
drachm
to
four
gallons,
to
the
fresh-strained
milk
when
the
milk
has
a
temperature
of
from
80°
to
85"^
F.,
the
making-
room
being
kept
at
a
temperature
of
about
60°
F.
The
whole
is
well
stirred
in
a
vat
for
eight
minutes.
When,
in
an
hour
so,
the
milk
has
completely
turned,
and
the
curd
is
ready
for
cutting
and
ladling,
strain-
ing
cloths,
from
thirty-six
to
forty-five
inches
square,
are
placed
in
earthenware
curd-sinks,
rods
being
used
to
support
the
sides.
The
curd
is
then
ladled
out
of
the
vat
by
means
of
a
half-gallon
ladle,
and
about
16